OP
Filter Tower Question
- Thread starter rob.mwpropane
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The stock indicators in those are worthless.
The CO indictator is unreliable even new and even working perfectly doesnt change to black unless its >50ppm which is far too high
The RH indicator strips turn at 40% which is roughly double the water content you want. If you have a post filteration RH of 40% that filter was completely used up hours ago. And the hopcalite has also failed as it requires dry gas to function.
You want a 10/20/30% RH disk in the housing (change once the 20% is pink) and a stand alone CO meter reading down to 1ppm.
OP
So stick with these and that's it, and place after the tower.
Moisture Indicator Disk - August Industries Inc.
Moisture Indicator Disk - August Industries Inc.
In fairness it wasnt a suggestion to use Alumina it was our requirement.
Yeah I know its not conventional thinking for scuba filling but there were two main reasons in the specific application that needed careful consideration.
First the filter tower was horizontal for operational reasons and the second was the molecular sieve was very
efficiant pure white in colour and not the brown to tan imported junk from China used in scuba throw away cartridges.
The effect of water droplets and or condensate on a reactive zeolite would create an exothermic reaction so consideration was given to reduce the possibility of water carry over to the tower.
Hence first the silica gel mopped up any droplets and then the Alumina absorbed any vapour carry over condensing out before reaching the reaction front of the zeolite (moleculare sieve)
Also consider with the process two live sidewinder missiles sit on top of the contraption while they are filling a plasma fire from the zeolite was considered a bit of a problem depending on where the pointy ends were facing I guess and the fill once shoot later pressure vessels inside the missile dont take to kindly to a Florida "cave" fill.
Neither do I but neither are there many commercial compressor designs used for filling a sidwinder missile either.
or producing a gas dry enough to make liquid air without jamming the thing up with ice.
But after this post it may come back in fasion as your filter dehydrating cartride lasts longer.
OP
Edit: this was BC.... before coffee...this won't work....
I was thinking of installing a small engine meter like this; any suggestions?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GV5CB55/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vvTIFb02606Z8
IMHO First thing is to stop buying anymore stuff before you make a careful assesment of the stuff you've bought already.
Dont try and run the compressor either before carefully assessing the components and running gear. (At this point the OP is thinking too late for that dude Iv'e run it up already LOL)
At the front of the cooling shroud in the 6 o'clock position is a small bolt running through the steel 1 inch frame that holds the shrould in place, remove it and clean any grease and muck inside, inspect the two rubber grommets at each side of the block that hold the back of the shroud in two half cups. Replacing the grommets are cheap the plastic shroud isnt.
Clean off any muck dirt and grease you can see and behind the main swach plate bearing and the 3 rose head bearings clean the 2 thrust rider plates (they are hardened steel and sharp) in the 6 o'clock position and note a small blue spring on the alignment trapeze right side.
Lever off the decop lever on the engine or better yet remove the belts and turn the pump slowly by hand clockwise when viewed from the fan end (front) looking like a hawk on that blue spring to see if it moves if it does you may be out of alignment. If not and its rock steady your good then re grease using polyura grease (blue) the thrust rider plates and the lower twin bearing race use your finger.
Next inspect the 3 rose head bearings at the end of each piston rod. Pull and push them checking for a loose race or worn if OK re grease them via the zerk grease nipples 5 pumps on the low pressure setting using an Alemet Pistol grip grease gun model 555-E dont waste your time using junk from China, if you do use a cheap nasty grease gun from your local Home Depot or whaterver you Yanks have that supports Chinese junk imports then you will understand where all that grease flinging about the place inside the fan shroud came from.
Check belts for tension open drain valves, fit air intake air filter at the end of a 1" OD 3/4" ID PVC flexible hose use food grade tubing it wont off-gas or smell use jubille clips to attatch each end.
Fit an interstage gauge (1500 psi range) to the second stage relief valve
Fit HP charging line with a pressure gauge to say a scuba cylinder with the valve closed at all times and fire it up.
Run for 10 seconds then close the two drain valves and see if it builds up pressure. At 3000 psi or near to open the 3rd stage bleed valve for five seconds then close it then open the 2nd stage bleed valve also about 5 seconds
At the same time collect the discharge water from each stage drain and inspect for junk and stuff later
While the compressor is running you can use the 3rd stage bleed to throttle the flow and not exceed the say 3000 psi or the relief valve will open. But keep it at a minimum 500 psi. Then when you are ready close all the drains and if required let it run back up to 3000 psi . Then stop the engine.
While stopped but still under pressure wait for 10 seconds check for leaks. Specifically on the 2nd stage intermediate gauge if its rising then your 3rd stage inlet valve is leaking back high pressure, if its falling then the 2nd stage discharge valve is leaking back. Then check the HP 3rd stage gauge if its falling then you have a leak or the inlet valve is weeping back,
Conversly if the 3rd stage pressure is still rising then the engine is still running and your deaf.
That or the gauge needle is in the process of falling off.
If you dont have a second stage gauge fitted a cheap alternative trick is to drain the 2nd stage to empty while the 3rd stage is full but then re close the 2nd stage drain valve and wait another 10 seconds and open again, if the 3rd stage inlet valve is leaking back you get a clue if more air drains out of the 2nd stage separator after a 10 seconds hold from empty.
If it were me I would remove the drive belts and get that diesel engine fired up first and separate it from the pump if its been sitting a long time the fuel jet will IMHO be blocked, there is a little window on the yanmar you can remove to get to it, that and the tank may be both rusty inside and the fuel may have reached its clould point a number of times during cold storage. Once the engine is good and running well it saves you the added headache of pulling the thing to death in the vain hope it may at some point start.
Now your in a better position to decide any service work needed before you start filling for real and we consider the filtration considerations.
OP
Well...I have not started it yet, so that's good. The only things I've bought so far are the compressor and the filter tower. The seller did send a video of the unit running, and yesterday I pulled the cord slowly just to make sure everything turned easily. It did, but again I did not start anything.
As far as grease I need to order the special stuff. It was supposed to be thoroughly gone through before being sold, but pulling the shroud will tell me if so or not. From what I can tell the service / testing tags (I'm assuming from military???) all indicate last service was in 2015. The over pressure valve after the 3rd stage is currently set to 3300psi.
For parts I know I need quite a bit, but have abstained from ordering so I make sure I get the right stuff.
@iain/hsm I truly appreciate your time and energy to write that.
For now it's in the box. I won't be able to "play" with it for at least another week or 2. But I'm still trying to layout stuff in my head and read as much as I can.
Those are the perfect ones for those little housings.
Once they are pink and illustrating that the gas is getting wet you change the filter then take out the disk and hold it with tweezers while you wave a hair dryer over it. Poof blue again. Keep the rest safe in a ziplock baggie. I reused one for over 10 years before it got too ratty and I put in a fresh one.
Don't forget you want to be analyzing CO in every tank you use whether pumped at home or from a shop.
Phew thank goodness for that! Lol
Not really IMHO for home use any of the standard Polyurea NLGI 2 greases should be OK
Just dont use any of the complex soap greases or Lithium based, Find one you can get cheap and we can discuss further brand types and differences, inhibitors etc.
Yep thats a good start, you have the making of the Rix technical expert on here. Way to go. Trust but verify.
Most if not all of the so called problems with Rix on this forum is by and large the forum group experience of buying old scrap military surplus 30 year old "clunkers" then moaning why they can't get parts cheap and why they dont work off the bat. That and a total inability to read the manual fully first. Plug in press go and wonder what the funny noise was before it stopped. That and a 3 blades on the fan start, the thinking being better than non I guess. And the I wonder why it has blank plugs were the relief valves are supposed to go. Oh well lets start her up anyhow,
Other clasics like pin prick hole in the first stage cooling coil when the driven pulley is rammed on the shaft right up touching the coil, others like changing from electric drive to gas engine and wondering why it fills so fast and the other way around. My all time favorate was rod end bearing seized and con rod snaped (as its designed to do) customer wants it fixed under warranty, The inside of the shrould has 2 kilos of gease stuck to it yet the bearing is bone dry. Grease tube is half empty with a wooden stick poking out of it but the grease gun is still in the box never used
How have you been lubricating the zerc grease nipples with a stick? asked the engineer. Yes says the lady dive shop owner there is no instuctions in the manual how to use a grease gun so we used a stick like the outboard motor shop does next door. Give me strength. And Trish if your reading this Yes its you.
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